Bridge-coupling for switch-rods



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.. A. H. JOHNSON.

BRIDGE COUPLING FOR SWITGH RODS, &c. No. 415,388. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. H. JOHNSON. BRIDGE COUPLING FOR SWITCH RODS, &0.

Patented Nov. 19

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. JOHNSON, OF RAIIW'A'Y, NE\Y JERSEY.

BRIDGE-COUPLING FOR SWITCH-RODS, 840.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,388, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed February 27. 1889. Serial No. 301,300. (No model.)

To all who/n it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. JOHNSON, of Rahway, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bridge-Couplings for Switch-Rods, &c., of which the following is a specification.

\Vhere railroad-tracks cross bridges, and it is desired from the bridge itself to manipulate switches, signals, &c., diliiculty has been experienced in coupling and uncoupling the portions of the operating devices upon the bridge and upon the abutments. This difliculty has arisen from the fact that variations in temperature will cause the coupling-pieces to be separated more or less from each other, so that a perfect joint cannot be obtained. It is the object of my improvement to overcome .this difficulty.

In carrying out my improvement I employ couplingpieces comprising members of a clutch, the members when together forming a coupling-piece which may be rotated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic view showing the drawbridge, railroad track and switches, together with coupling-pieces, and mechanism for operating them embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a coupling-piece embodying my improvement and showing certain means for rotating the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of one of certain wheels employed therein. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a modification. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail Views, the one in plan and the other in section, showing means for locking the coupling-pieces against rotation under certain conditions. Fig. Sis a sectional elevation on the line 19.13, Fig. at, and showing a bearing for one of the members of a coupling-piece.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a draw-bridge, and B the abutments therefor. Upon the draw-bridge hhave shown a switch-stand C, from which switches D upon the abutments B may be manipulated, and also from which c0upling-pieces E may be operated. From the switch-stand C extends red a, connected by a bell-crank lever to a rod a. At the opposite ends of the rods a there are bell-crank levers which connect with rods a the latter being connected at their other ends with members a of the couplingpieces. By operating a lever, which may be of the ordinary kind, at the switch-stand C both of the members a of the coupling-pieces may be moved longitudinally to engage or disengage other members cv" of the coupling-pieces, which latter members are located upon the abutments for the bridge. From the switchstand 0 also extend rods a", which rods are connected by means of bell-crank levers with rods a extending to the members a of the coupling-pieces. By manipulating suitable levers at the switch-stand the rotation of the members (0 of the coupling-pieces may be effected. The members a' a of the couplingpieces comprise at their adjacent extremities clutch members a" a. In all the examples of my improvementshown these clutch members are disunited and the parts occupy a position in which the dim -bridge may be freely swung. It is to be understood, however, that when the draw-bridge occupies the position shown in Fig. 1 and trains are to be passed over the bridge the clutch members will be united. \Vhen united, the rotation of the members a of the coupling-pieces will be transmitted to the members a thereof. From the members a motion is transmitted through suitable mechanism comprising rods a a (L12 and intermediate bell-crank levers to the switches D in order to throw the latter.

InFig. 2 I have shown suitable means for causing the rotation of the members of the coupling-pieces. The rods a a will in this instance be connected, respectively, to ordinary bell-crank levers to which would be connected rods a a, which rods would extend parallel to the track in order to impart rotary motion to wheels I) I), also arranged parallel to the track and journaled in suitable bearings 12 upon the bridge and the abutments, respectively. The wheels I) b have upon one side beveled gear-teeth, which beveled gear engages beveled pinions 11 17 The beveled pinion b has a feathered connection with the member a of the coupling-piece, so that the said member may be slid freely through the pinion b but so that the rotation of said pinion will cause the rotation of the said member a".

IVhen the clutch members a a" have been brought together by the longitudinal movement of the member a of the coupling-pieces and the rod to has been moved lengthwise, of course a rotary motion will be imparted to the prove otherwise objectionable.

wheel I), which motion will be transmitted through the clutch members and the pinion b and wheel Z) to the rod a, from which motion willbe transmitted to the switch I),with which it co-operates.

I have shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2 that chains passing about the wheels I) Z) may be employed to rotate said wheels. These chains maybe operated in a well-known manner, and I do not deem it necessary to illustrate means for accomplishing their movement or their connections with the switch mechanism.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated more particularly one of the wheels I) Z), adapted to receive chains.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have more particularly illustrated the form of coupling-piece and its operating mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1. In this form of the improvement the rotary motion is imparted to the member a of the clutch by means of an arm 0, mounted upon the said coupling-piece member, so as to transmit rotary-motion thereto, but so that the said member may slide freely through it. The arm 0 is connected at its lower extremity with the rod (17. A similar arm a is rigidly mounted upon the member a of the couplingpiece, and is connected at its lower extremity with the rod a I have illustrated in this form of the device in dotted outlinesin Fig. 4, and more particularly in Fig. 8, that the member a of the clutch may rest in yielding bearings d. -The yielding bearings d have secured upon them upon their upper and lower sides guide-rods (1', extending through suitable apertures in the supports C1 in which the bearings are mounted. The member a may therefore rise and fall within the supports 61 in order to accommodate variations rotate them, if the clutch members be suddenly drawn apart, rotary motion to a certain extent of the members a a might ensue, which might partially throw a switch or To avoid this I have shown in Figs. 6 and 7 means for looking the members a a of the coupling-pieces when the clutch members are separated. Uponthe member a is formed a rib 6, adapted to be slid to and fro in a suitable groove formed in one of the bearings for the said member. This rib is only of such extent,

however, that when the clutch members are vents the rotation of the member.

Referring to the member a of the clutch, I have shown a locking-piece f, having a portion extending longitudinally through a suitable socket f formed in said member. Upon the rear end of said locking-piece is a shoulder or projection f WVithin the socket f, and to the rear of the shoulder f, is a coilspring f, the tendency of which is to always force the locking-piece f forward, so that the shoulder f will extend into a notch f formed to receive it in one of the bearings for said member. lVhen the members of the clutch are united, the member a will contact with the locking-piece f and force it rearwardly against the resistance of the spring f thereby removing the shoulder f from the notch f. The coupling member a may then be freely rotated. hen the member a of the clutch is withdrawn, however, the lockingpiece f will follow by its movement, and the shoulder f will become engaged with the notch f and cause the locking of the coupling member a against rotation.

It is to be understood that the members a a of the clutch are of such extent lengthwise that they will not be withdrawn from engagement by contracting of the bridge or the clutch members themselves, due to low temperature, or, in other words, that under all variations in temperature there will'be a free play between the members of the clutch.

Of course I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself specifically to the means shown and described for operating the switches or uniting or disuniting the coupling-pieces; nor do I wish to be understood as limiting myself to the means shown and described for imparting rotary motion to the coupling-piece members, as obviously many other means might be devised for accomplishing these results. I

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A bridge-coupling for railway-switch and similar systems, comprising couplingpieces one member of which is longitudinally movable and is rotated by the operation of the system to impart rotary motion to the other member, substantially as specified.

2. A bridge-coupling for railway-switch and similar systems, comprising couplingpieces one member of which is longitudinally movable and is rotated by the operation of the system to impart rotary motion to the other member and yielding bearings for one of said members, substantially as specified.

3. A bridgecoupling for railway-switch and similar systems, comprising couplingpieces one member of which is longitudinally movable and is rotated by the operation of the system to impart rotary motion to the other member and locks for preventing the rotation of said members when the members are separated, substantially as specified.

ARTHUR H. JOHNSON.

lVitnesses:

FREDK. IIAYNEs, ARTHUR H. GAMBLIN. 

